Arrows from boards

[Lumberman]

Okay I cut some straight grained squares for arrow shafts a few weeks ago and have been letting them dry down a little more, being a hardwoods inspector has it's perks but any lumber I get is green. I have limited tools and with a baby on the way I cannot justify getting more. Any primitive ways to round these guys out without spending all day on getting one round? Of course rigging my skil saw into a table saw to get the squares wasn't exactly primitive.. I guises just curious to hear from anyone else making arrows from boards?

[Pappy]

You can do it with a rasp and scrapper, yes it takes a little while but very easily done. 
 Pappy

[BowEd]

A router and a speed drill used simultaniously can produce quick good shafts from straight grained stock.I still usually rasp and sand yet.Hav'nt made that gizmo yet but do plan to someday.

[Lumberman]

Yeah there some good instruction on how to do it with a router that I have been wanting to try.. Once I start justifying the purchases though it won't end lol, always be something else I "need". I pulled some saw blades that are about 8"x5' from the dumpster at work for spear and trade points. Should I follow a stone arrowhead design or make it straight edged ( as far as the insert into the arrow shaft)? I made an ash spear and I can't seem to keep the head from coming out after a couple throws. Thinking about putting some hooks on the insert end to allow for more grab

[half eye]

Lumberman,
      I make a lot of arrow shafts from various hardwoods such as whuite and black ash, spruce, white and yellow birch etc. I used to use a sander and turn the "squares" into octagons and then hand sand them round. Another way is to glue coarse sandpaper inside various (descending) sized tube and "spin" the squares through them with a drill motor (use a 1/2" drive socket extension).....but the easiest way (and most cost effective) is a Veritas dowel and tennon cutter that costs about $20 and comes with extra blades. you can make thousands of shafts with that 20 dollar "pencil sharpener".
    Being on a small fixed income I thought the 20 bucks was a big deal at the time....but turned out to be a good idea cause it paid for itself, and is still working great.
    Hope that helps ya some....they do get easier after making a few
rich

[Lumberman]

Thanks rich it certainly does, I considered trying one of those as well so hearing that they do work is really appreciated.
Thanks for the advice guys, this site is ridiculously addictive haha.
 
Hey beadman can you do more than one deer skin with one brain? Got a buck the other day (still using my compound) but I didn't keep the brain from a kill earlier this year so one brain and two skins. My wife tells me I always have only half the brain I need.

[Knoll]

Lebhuntfish is having success with this dowel-making jig.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dR9-gdNdZAA

[Ed Brooks]

 Hello Lumber Man, I've made some lumber arrows, on a budget. I cut some old growth fir at 3/8", and used a hand plane, that  i picked up at a junk sale for like 3. just hit the corners until you get it knocked down and then sand by hand. I have since gone to shoot shafts. Good Luck! Ed

[Pat B]

The ones I made I used a cheap thumb plane from Lowe's or ACE Hardware(cost less than $10). Remove the 4 corners with the thumb plane, then the 8 corners then sand to round. That's about as cheap as I could get.

[lebhuntfish]

Lebhuntfish is having success with this dowel-making jig.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dR9-gdNdZAA

Yes I am guys! It's pretty simple to make but the holes have to be drilled just right. Beadman,  johnW and myself used the fire out of the one I made this last weekend. It works great but still needs some sanding when done. It's simple and cheap to.
Patrick

[Aaron H]

My wife tells me I always have only half the brain I need.

My wife tells me the same thing

[jimmy]

I make all my wood arrows from lumber cut into square dowels.  I use a small hand plane and shave the corners down (octagon), and then the remaining corners down (as was previously mentioned by another).  It is basically round at this point.  All you have to do is sand it until it it will run through a hole that is the size of shaft you want.  The closer tolerance you cut your lumber, the less you'll have to sand.  It's really easy and very cheap.  A small hand plane is all you have to buy, and it will pay for itself with the first batch of arrows you make.

[Sasquatch]

I have made many o arrows from pine, dug fir, fir. all of which i got from lowes.  I use veritos dowell cutter 21.95$. you can also get a compression block from 3 rivers. I have also made the router rig but find it hard to adjust. now i simply like the look of rivercane.   

[riverrat]

i use a small thumb plainer. the cheap little red one you can pick up at menards for 5 bucks. that and a piece of sand stone with a groove in it. Tony

[BowEd]

Lumberman.....Same here about my little woman.....lol.There are lots of ways to brain a hide with success.I brain tan according to John Mcphearsons' [Praire Wolf] way of doing it.I make a brain slurry with about 1.5 gallon of water.When having multiple hides ready to be brained I used to reuse the brain slurry for the next hide.That can go on for about 2 weeks max in and out of the refrigerator with the slurry,but still adding new to replenish the potency of oils.It will begin to smell bad after that and not worth the trouble.I guess you could freeze it if time in between gets too long.Still a big deers' brain at best weighs 3/4#.[That's with the saying that a deers' own brain is enough to tan it's own hide].I like to use at least 1# per hide.Preferably fresh.The roping process is a lot of work and I don't like wasting my time.Used to be pork brains cost .89 a pound.Now they cost 2.89.Still a pretty cheap authentic tough piece of leather.A bigger Hy Vee store near me has the pork brains.